Manchester United Move For Bale In Doubt

Wages A Problem For Premier League Sides

Any Manchester United move for Real Madrid star Gareth Bale is in danger over the size of his wages according to one report today.

The Sun claims that United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are all interested in the Wales international who is being linked with a move away from the La Liga side this summer.

Bale has been under pressure to perform this season following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. But he has failed to live up to expectations and he was booed by the club’s supporters when he was substituted in the weekend’s 1-0 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in El Clasico.

This season was Bale’s big chance to sign after spending five years in Ronaldo’s shadow. However, his failure to take that chance has led to his place at the club comng under threat. President Florentino Perez is ready to offer him for sale this summer. The suggestion that Real will demand £150million are wide of the mark. No European club will pay that much.

However, the Wales international is believed to earn £650,000 a week at the Bernabeu and that could prove to be a stumbling block for English clubs.

“Gareth loves it there. As for going to another club, no one could afford him,” his agent Jonathan Barnett has said.

Manchester United could afford to match his wages. After all, they are paying £505,000 a week to Alexis Sanchez.

But there is one other problem regarding the potential signing of Bale and that’s his age. The Welshman turns 30 in July and that’s the point where United tend to look at the size of a player’s transfer fee along with his earnings and wonder whether it’s worth their while.

Jose Mourinho came unstuck last summer when he presented to the Manchester United board a list of players who were approaching or older than 30. Those targets were rejected by the club’s top brass. For that reason a move for Bale looks unlikely.